jcpenney Portrait Studio tips & deals – 6 sheets for $20!

Put your camera down for the day and go have a professional family portrait taken. Just do it! These days, photo packages are an affordable and easy way to keep  your family’s memories alive. The jcpenney Portrait Studio, jcpportraits, has a really great photo package during the month of April. Traditional portrait sheets are just $20 for 6 (mix and match size and images up to 10×13), you’ll also receive one free $9 sitting fee.

To make the most of your jcpenney Portrait Studio sesssion, here are some great Portrait tips and tricks from the professionals!

Dress for Portrait Success

• Keep clothing simple. Try to choose solid colors and avoid large, bold patterns. Bright colors will draw attention away from your face.
• Avoid short sleeves and tank tops. Long sleeves will draw attention away from your arms and helps bring the focus back to your face.
• jcpportraits’ photographers may suggest a full-length pose. Make sure you coordinate portrait clothing from head to toe.
• Darker clothing slims. Choose shades of black, brown, blue, dark green and other jewel-toned colors. Light tones tend to emphasize body size.
• Scoops or v-necks flatter shorter necks and full faces. Turtlenecks or high-necked garments flatter longer necks and slender faces.
• Keep clothing consistent. Dress everyone in the same style. Don’t mix casual and formal clothing in portraits.

Coordinate Colors

• Wear light on white. Light pastel or white clothing looks best against a light-colored or white portrait background.
• Wear dark on dark. Dark clothing looks best against darker backgrounds and creates a more formal mood in portraits.
• Don’t mix light and dark colors in portraits. Show your style in small accents. Save stronger colors and patterns for accessories like scarves and neckties.

Props and Backgrounds

• Ask your photographer for advice. Not sure what you want? jcpportrait photographers can help you choose a portrait background that suits your needs.
• Add in your personality. Bring your own props for a personal touch {baby blanket, stuffed animal, or a special toy}.

As someone with a horrible memory, I rely on photographs to recall past events and everyday life with my family and friends. I think my love of photos comes from spending hours and hours at my Gramma’s house as a child. She was the family’s memory-keeper and had boxes, bins and albums full of photos of everyone you could imagine from our family. I can still picture the photos of my dad when he was just a baby, I spent quite a bit of time pouring over Gramma’s photos!

Now, I’m the one who has to keep our family’s memories tucked away. I snap a lot of photos of my kids, my hubby, our pets and everyone else in my life. You know what’s funny though? I’m not in most of them! I joke with my kids that they won’t remember what I look like years and years from now! My number one tip for taking photos? Make sure YOU are in at least some of them!

Trust me, you will want photographic evidence that you did in fact exist during all of those family trips to the zoos, reunions and birthday parties! Get more than just your elbow, knee or back of the head in that photos– and smile! 

Plus, I think you can tell by this old attempt at a family photo — we need professional help.

Hopefully we will be getting that help at the jcpenney Portrait Studio very soon!